Geoege a



(N0 Model.)

G. A. WELD.

SHOE.

No. 343,410. Patented June 8, 1886.

.ZrwG 02" N. PETERS, PhuhrLilhagnphnr. Nzuhingian. 0,0.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. WELD, OF WINCHESTER,MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,410, dated June a,1886.

Application filed April 5, 1886.

T at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WELD, of Winchester, county of Middlesex,and State of Massachusettshave invented an Improvement in Shoes, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawin gs, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has forits object to construct a plow-shoe or overshoefrom a novel pattern, whereby the same may be cheaply Inade,easilyapplied, and fastened about the foot of the wearer.

In accordance with this invention the upper of the shoe is composed of avampthat,

when crimped, will conform to the foot, and also present substantiallystraight edges extending vertically, or nearly'so, from the shank to thetop of the shoe. Two quarter-pieces, seamed together at the heel andhaving substantially straight edges corresponding with the straightedges of the vamp, are provided, the straight edge of one of thequarter-pieces being seamed to one of the straight edges of the vamp, afolded gusset of peculiar shape being interposed between the straightedge of the other quarter-piece and the adjacent edge of the vamp, sothat the top portion of the shoe may be opened to admit the foot. Thegusset is of triangular shape having curved sides, and when folded uponitself in the direction of its length is crimped so that two of itssides become substantially straight, while the curve is imparted to itslower central portion. The two straight edges of the gusset thus crimpedare seamed one to the straight edge of one of the quarter-pieces and theother to one of the straight edges of the vamp, and at the lower end ofthe gusset, at the shank of the shoe, the line of stitching passesthrough the edge of the vamp, both edges of the gusset, which are foldedtogether and through the edge of the quarter-piece, tightly closing thegap formed by the folded gusset at the.

shank of the shoe. The gusset is also curved at the top from the centeroutward correspondingly,so that when folded upon itself and crimpedsmooth plies are presented at the inside of the shoe to avoid protrudingseams, 8m. the gusset, when the shoe is fastened, resting at the frontof the leg, where least objection- Serial No.197,845. (No model.)

able to the wearer of the shoe when walking.

The fastening herein employed consists of a strap attached to that edgeof the vamp to which the gusset is seamed and a buckle attached to theadjacent quarter-piece, so that the vamp may be drawn slightly flushwith or 'over the edge of the quarter-piece and fastened.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a shoe em- I bodying this invention;Fig. 2, a top view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, asection of a portion of Fig. 1,ftaken on the dotted line as 00, and Figs. 4, 5,

3 and 6 plans of thepatterns or pieces employed to form the upper.

The vamp a, cut from a pattern of the shape shown in Fig. 4, has curvededges 2 3, and is crimped in any usual manner into the form 2 shown inFig. 1, drawing the curved edges 2 3, substantially straight.

'The quarter-pieces b c, of the shape shown in Fig. 5, have their curvededges 4. 5 seamed together to form the heel-seam, the opposite edges 6 7of said quarter -pieces being substantially straight. The straight edge6 of the quarter-piece b is seamed to the edge of the crimped vamp a.

The gusset d, somewhat triangular in shape,

as shown in Fig. 6, has two of its edges, as 8 9,

curved inwardly toward each other, while its upper edge is curvedoutwardly in opposite directions from the center. The gusset thus shapedis folded upon itself longitudinally and crimped, (see also Fig. 6,)drawing the curved edges 8 9, substantially straight, as shown in fulllines, andimparting a curve to the central portion of the lower end ofthe folded gusset, as shown at 12. The crimped and folded gusset disthen placed between the edge 7 of the quarterpiece 0 and the adjacentedge of the vamp a, allowing the main portion of the gusset to liewithin the shoe or against the inside of vamp a. The edge 8 of thegusset is stitched to the edge 7 of the quarter-piece c, and the edge 9of the gusset is seamed to the edge f the ramp at from the top down to apoint near the lower end of the gusset or the shank of the shoe, as at15, and from this point to the end of the gusset the line of stitchingpasses through the vamp a, both edges of the folded gusset, and thequarter-piece c, to thus form at the lower end a very tight scam, thelower 7 end of the gusset acting as a welt.

An additional line of stitches, 16, is added at the lower end of thegusset at the shank portion of the shoe, to re-enforce the seam and makea substantially tight connection.

The top of the gussetd is curved outwardly from the center, as at 10, sothat when folded it presents a single curve.

By making the top portion of the gusset d curved, as described, a gussetof greater dimensions at the top may be employed. permitting the top ofthe shoe to be opened to a a greater extent.

The edge 3 of the vamp a overlaps the adj acent edge of thequarter-piece c, and a strap, f, is fastened to this edge of the vamp,which may be engaged with a suitable buckle, y, secured by a short strapor loop to the quarterpiece 0, so that the vamp and quarterpieces may bedrawn snugly about the ankle of the wearer.

By the employment of the gusset, shaped as described, the top of theshoe may be opened to admit the foot, and as the vamp and quarter-piecesare afterward drawn togetherthe gusset lies against the inside of thevamp at the front of the leg, apparently forming a continuation of thequarter-piece c, and presenting a smooth surface upon the inside of theshoe against the leg.

The shoe is provided with the usual sole, A,

and heel B, and in instances where the upper cut from the patterndescribed is employed as an over-gaiter a suitable sole will accordinglybe employed.

It is obvious that the gusset (I may be cut to form an integral part ofthe quarter-piece c, if desired, without departing from this iiivention,it being herein shown as a separate piece for cheapness, and it is alsoobvious that any other suitable fastening may be employed instead of thestrap and buckle herein shown.

If the gusset herein shown were put into the shoe so as to be folded inthe opposite direction, the shoe so constructed would be veryobjectionable, for the increased thickness would fall at the rear sideof leg and ankle, where it would be very uncomfortable in the motion ofthe foot when walking.

I; am aware that a shoe has been slitted or left open at one side, and aV-shaped piece folded upon itself lengthwise hasbeen inserted in suchslit or opening, so that the shoe could be opened at the top and ankleportion; but such V-shaped piece has not been crimped to give to thesame on its line of fold a curve,

which constitutes an essential of myinvention and is necessary tosuccessfully carry out the same.

I claim- 1. In a shoe of the class described, the sole A, crimped vampa, and quarter-pieces b c,

1 combined with a gusset, d, interposed between and connecting one edgeof one of the quarterpieces with one edge of the vamp, said gusset dhaving the curved edges 8, 9, and 10, and when folded and crimped thestraight edges 8 9mm curved edges 10 and curved central portion, 12,substantially as described.

2. In ashoe of the class described, the combination, substantially asdescribed, of the sole A, cri mped vamp having substantially straightedges 2 3, quarter-pieces I) c, seamed together at the heel, one edge ofone of the quarterpieces being seamed to the vamp, the gusset d, shaped,folded, and crimpcd substantially as described, and seamed to one edgeofthe other quarter-piece and to the other edge of the vamp, and afastening to draw the vamp and quarter-pieces together.

3. I n a shoe of the class described, the combination, substantially asdescribed, of the sole A, crimped vamp having substantially straightedges 2 3, quarter-pieces b c, seamed together at the heel and havingsubstantially straight edges 6 7, the gusset d, shaped, folded, andcrimped as described, and seamed to one edge of one of thequarter-pieces and to one edge of the vamp, and extending forward tonormally lie against the inside of the vamp.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. WELD.

Witnesses:

BERNIOE J. NoYEs, G. M. CONE.

